Thursday, July 28, 2011

I have been really sick for the past week and haven't been wearing makeup. I was feeling a little better yesterday so just had to whip out my makeup box and cheer myself up with some eyeshadow and mascara. Here's the result:

MAC Faux Gold Mineralize Shadow foiled on the lid

Combo of MAC Arena and Expensive Pink shadows in the crease

MAC Vanilla shadow to highlight

MAC Blitz and Glitz Fluidline on upper lid

Nars Larger Than Life Lengthening mascara

Yes, I am wearing blue contact lenses. I have had them forever and need to use them up.

Monday, July 25, 2011

If you have every worn a sari, you know how much of a pain it is to get dressed for an Indian event, most of the time you are already running late, and then you have to deal with wearing a sari...making the pleats, pinning it up so it doesn't fall apart...and if you are like me, the first time you wear the sari isn't always the best so you end up doing it again.

Ladies, I have found a tool that has been saving me so much time in the past couple months, and after properly using it a few times now, I can honestly say I am so happy to have it! What is this amazing tool? The Sari Saheli!!

Basically this is a sari pleat maker that helps make sari pleats easy and perfectly sized. The set I got comes with the pleatmaker and 2 magnetic clips that help in the pleat-holding process.

These clips seem like a gimmic, but I have found them to be really helpful while putting the sari on. The Sari Saheli site recommends using them instead of safety pins. However, I think they look tacky. Personally, I use the clips to hold the pleats in place until I can reach for a safety pin and pin the pleats together.

Ok, so I know that sounds kind of confusing, so here is a video that shows you how to do the front pleats on the "skirt" of the sari...these are the pleats that give you room to walk when wearing a sari. This video is in Hindi, but if you don't understand Hindi, this video is still helpful because vieweing the Sari Saheli in action gives a good idea of how to make the front pleats.

The Sari Saheli box also incudes a pictoral guide in the box, but honestly, I think the videos on the Sari Saheli website are better.

So overall, it takes a few tries to get the hang of using this. I don't recommend using it for the first time when you are getting ready to go somewhere. Practice with it a few times at home so you feel comfortable using it. That time spent practicing is well worth it because when you do have to get ready for an event, making the pleats will be much faster and easier than doing it without the Sari Saheli.

Also, I recommend this for gals who are new to wearing a sari. If you have been wearing a sari for many many years, you are probably so used to making pleats on your own that you might get frustrated using this, so I don't think this is meant for you.

Oh and one more thing, I was so happy to have the Sari Saheli in my life that Sari Saheli offered to give you, my wonderful Kajal Couture readers, a 10% discount on the Sari Saheli when you purchase online! All you have to do is enter the code "KAJAL" in the discount code box during checkout. Oh, Sari Saheli does ship worldwide so don't think this is something for those in the US only.

Please note that I am not trying to sell this to you, but I genuinely think the Sari Saheli has helped improve my sari-wearing process. That is why I was so excited to tell you about this, and as you all know, when you find something you love, you want to tell everyone about it! =)

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

I was shopping through my makeup stash the other day looking to rediscover some products I haven't used in awhile, and I came across my Make Up For Ever (MUFE) Aqua Cream 16...a light pink shimmer cream. Aqua Creams are multi-taskers that can also be used on the cheeks as a blush or highlight, or on the lips. Let's get serious though, most people, including myself, just use them on our eyes.

MUFE Aqua Cream in Shade 16

Once I picked up this shade and started playing around with it, I began to wonder how it compared to my trusty MAC Paint Pot in Fresco Rose.

MAC Paint Pot in Fresco Rose

This began my mini comparison project.

When worn on the eyes, both products are crease resistant, last all day, can be worn alone for a sheer wash of color, or used as a base for powder shadows.

Although both products are light pink in color, the MUFE Aqua Cream 16 is pretty sheer and adds a light pink shimmer to the skin. Fresco Rose Paint Pot actually adds a bit of pink color and has a slight sheen to the skin and is not shimmery at all. I like both products equally and will be putting them in my makeup rotation for the next few weeks.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

I wasn't planning to review this, since it was a small sample that I was just trying out, but it was soooo bad I had to tell you about it so you can save a few bucks!! What I am talking about? The Shiseido Refining Makeup Primer.

Excuse the poor photo....it looked clear on my camera!! In any case, I put a drop on my finger and the primer looked a bit pink. I blended it out and it still looked pink. I figured it would just fade away once blended on my face.

I was wrong. This primer made my entire face pink!! I waited 1 minute, then 2 minutes, then a whole 10 minutes for the pink case to go away. It didn't.

So finally I washed it off and proceeded with priming my face with my trusty MAC Prep + Prime.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Hey dolls! THANK YOU for all the feedback on my Opi Red Shatter post a few days ago. I ended up exchanging the red for the Opi Black Shatter, and I like it soooooo much better! I did a quick, messy application using a gold base, and here's the result:

Tired of the regular crackle nail look? Jenn over at Spiced Beauty spices it up with a tri-color mani!

If you like bright colours you'll want to check out the latest find from Lisamarie at Beauty Crazed - SleekMakeUP Caribbean collection - and you'll be relieved to know that the swatches are not on her arm!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

I finally gave in to the crackle nail polish look and since my favorite nail polish color is red, I decided to get the red crackle, OPI Shatter in Red.

OPI Shatter in Red

I thought this would look amazing over gold (can you imagine that for an Indian wedding....love!!) or over a vibrant orange or pink for the summertime. When I got home from the beauty shop, I was so anxious to try this out, and somehow I ended up reaching for this peach shade for the base color instead of an orange:

MAC Malibu Peach

So I read the instructions and got started, making sure I waited for the peach shade to dry completely. I actually waited 1.5 hours before topping the peach shade with the shatter red.

So what was the final result?

So, I don't know what I think about this. The first issue is that the shatter seemed to remove the base color. You can't see any peach because it crackled along with the red. I am wondering if there was moisture on my nails because I did do a few dishes while I was waiting for the peach polish to completely dry. I figured if it was dry enough to not get messed up while doing dishes, it was completely dry. Guess not. The second issue is that I don't know how many base shades this red will look good with.

I really can't decide if I like this or not. Some moments I look down and think it is sooo cool. Other moments I think it's too weird. I am considering exchanging this red for a black shatter. Can you help me decide what to do? How do you think the red shatter looks? Keep in mind I would use another base shade and make sure it really is dry before applying the shatter shade.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Sometimes I look at all my makeup and think "how did I accumulate so much!" That happened last week and I decided to try and use up some products. Here are the lippies I am trying to use up:

The first lippie is the Stila Plumping Lip Glaze in Vanilla Mint and the second lippie is the Stila Long Wear Lip Color in Flushed.

The Stila Long Wear Lip Color in Flushed is basically a lipstick but it is in a twist up tube that is halfway between the diameter of a lipliner and a normal lipstick:

Here are swatches of both products:

L-R: Flushed (one swipe), Flushed (3 swipes), Vanilla Mint gloss

The Stila Long Wear Lip Color in Flushed is a fantastic everyday lip color that is on the pink side, not too bright or too dark, so it complements many makeup looks. I really like it for summer because it adds a bit of cool pinkiness to my lips. Although this is marketed as a long wearing lipstick, it doesn't last all day on me. I get about 4-5 hours of wear when apply a sticky gloss on top. That is pretty good wear time, but I expect long-wearing shades to last the whole day... or at least 7-8 hours.

Flushed Long Wear Lip Color

I am not as big a fan of the Stila Plumping Lip Glaze in Vanilla Mint. I like Stila Lip Glazes but from here on out I am going to stay away from the plumping ones. All plumping glosses tingle, but this one tingles for like 30 minutes after application!! That is just waaaaay too long for me. And to top it off, my lips aren't any plumper. I also didn't like the mint taste. There is not much vanilla flavor, but the mint flavor was very strong. I prefer a mild taste or no taste at all. Some say that mint flavored glosses give you better breath. Really, people? Unless you physically eat the gloss, a gloss can't alter anything in your mouth, so there is no way a gloss can improve your breath. In any case, here is what the gloss looks like on top of the lip color. It has slight sparkles in it, but looks pretty much like a clear gloss.

Vanilla Mint Plumping Lip Glaze on top of Flushed Long Wear Lip Color

I have been re-applying both products frequently throughout the day in order to further along my efforts to finish both lippies. I hope they get used up soon! Are you trying to finish up anything?

Monday, July 11, 2011

If you have been following my blog for awhile you probably know that the one beauty product I can't leave home without is mascara. And before I apply mascara I am religious about curling my lashes. I HIGHLY recommend using a lash curler because the curl factor can significantly impact the size and glam factor of the eyes. So here's my tip for curling the lashes:

For everyday use, curl the upper lashes BEFORE applying mascara. If you curl afterwards, there is a high chance that the curler will pluck out a few lashes, and if you do this everyday, you will be lash-less. However, if you apply mascara and curl only once in blue moon, you won't lose too many lashes. Therefore, when getting ready for a special occasion, feel free to curl your lashes after applying mascara (or apply mascara, curl, and apply another coat of mascara for extreme lash impact).

In other news, this is going to be my last Makeup Tip Monday. When I started this feature I had a bunch of tips I wanted to share, but now I feel like it is forced and I don't feel right doing blog posts because I have to. I started blogging because I wanted to share my knowledge and experiences and most of all I wanted it to be fun. The Makeup Tip Mondays feel more obligatory than fun. Therefore, from here on out, I will definitely be sharing my makeup tips and tricks, but it will be whenever I learn something new or feel like sharing something I haven't blogged about before. I hope you all will appreciate that and continue supporting this blog! =)

Thursday, July 7, 2011

1. Kirkland Daily Facial Cleansing Towelettes - These are so effective at removing makeup and cleansing my skin, and they are SUPER affordable! I switch it up between these and MAC wipes, but this was a coupon item at Costco during the last coupon book period so I couldn't help but purchase them again. I LOVE them! My full review is here.

2. Origins GinZing Eye Cream - This eye cream has been a lifesaver the past month. Life has been super busy recently and this magical cream makes it look like I have been relaxing on vacation! It reduces puffiness, helps brighten the under eye area, and helps my concealer from settling in to the fine lines around my eyes. I love this little jar and will be doing a full review soon.

3. MAC Pro Longwear Concealer - So after taking care of the skin around my eyes, I have been using this concealer to conceal my dark circles. This stuff is amazing and I already said everything I love about it in my original review.

4. MAC Technakohl Liner in Smoothblue - This is one of my summer must-haves. I love using this to line my upper lash line and then add mascara. It is such a quick and easy eye look and adds a pop of color for the summer. Even my hubby loves when I wear this "blue stuff" on my eyes.

5. Nars Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base - I have mentioned this in the past, but this truly is one of the best eye primers out there. It prevents shadow from creasing and fading, and it is invisible on the skin so you can use it under any color shadow. This is especially great for summertime when it is hot and eyelids tend to be oilier than normal.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Hey all! I have been waiting a LOOONG time for the MAC Semi Precious collection and I have been jumping for joy that it is finally here! Why? Because I go cra-zay for brushes and there are a whopping 4 new MAC brushes released with this collection! Today I am reviewing the 2 eye brushes: the MAC 234 and 235 split fibre brushes. First up is the 234 Split Fibre Eye Blending Brush:

As you can see, the fibres are really split in half, one side having natural hairs (the black side) and the other side having synthetic hairs (the white side):

This brush is very similar in size to the 217 eye blending brush, in that the hairs are about the same length, and the base of the bristles are somewhat flattened, not perfectly round like the 224 brush. The 217 is also more rounded at the top:

View from the side:

Top: 217 brush (yes, it's dirty...but it was the only one I had out)

Bottom: 234 brush

View from the top:

Top: 217 brush

Bottom: 234 brush

My overall view of the split-fibre brushes is that they are great if you have a tendency to layer powder products over cream products. Natural hair bristles are best for powder products and synthetic hair bristles are better for cream and liquid products. In my opinion, the synthetic hair side of the 234 brush is great for applying concealer under the eye, and the natural hair side is great for setting the concealer with powder. Instead of using two different brushes, you can achieve two different product applications with just one brush. The same can be said about eyeshadow. I like to use a synthetic hair brush for applying eye primers, and then a natural hair brush for applying powder shadow. Instead of using two brushes, I could use one split fibre brush. I really like the new 234 split fibre brush for this purpose:

The 235 brush has been used everyday since I got it. I use the synthetic hair side to apply my paint pots and I use the natural hair side to apply powder shadow on my lid and on my browbone. However, I can't use the 235 to place small amounts of shadow to small places, because it is quite a large brush.

View from the top:

Top: 239 brush

Bottom: 235 brush

View from the side:

Top: 239 brush

Bottom: 235 brush

With the 235, I still need to use a smaller brush to apply shadow to the crease and outer corner. However, I do like not having to use a completely separate brush for my paint pots/eye primer.

Some people are saying that the split fibre brushes are a gimmick, but I really find them to be useful. They have the same high-quality workmanship as MAC's permanent brushes, and they do retain their shape and softness after washing. Although these brushes were released as part of a mineralized collection, I am not sure if they apply mineral products any better because I don't use too many mineral eye products and I haven't tried the split fibre face brushes yet. In any case, I really like these new eye brushes and they will definitely get a lot of use from me.

Monday, July 4, 2011

I know I missed my tip for last Monday, so please forgive me, but I hope you enjoy today's tip! I find it to be super helpful when I go foundation shopping:

When trying on a new foundation at a cosmetic store/counter, bring a pocket sized mirror with you or borrow one from the counter for a few minutes. After getting color-matched and applying the foundation to your face, take the mirror and step outside the store in to natural sunlight. Looking at the foundation in natural light will give you the best indicator of whether or not the foundation is a true match. A lot of times, stores are dark or have harsh yellow lighting that alters the appearance of foundation and you end up purchasing the wrong shade.

I once heard that women buy 7 foundations before finding one that works for them. Hopefully, this tip will help narrow that number for some of you.

Also, Happy 4th of July for those of you in the States. How will you be celebrating?